Apparatus for use in glazing earthenware articles



G. W. BIRD July 10, 1951 APPARATUS FOR USE IN GLAZING EARTHENWARE ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 iuquan- "2, 19

N n D July 10,1951 6. w. BIRD 2,560,270

I I APPARATUS FOR USE IN GLAZING' EARTHENWARE ARTICLES Filed Jan. 21 ,-1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fia. 4.

GEOFF/PU wmm z' Attome y y 10, 1951 G. W. BIRD 2,560,270

APPARATUS FOR USE IN GLAZING EARTHENWARE ARTICLES Filed Jan. 21', 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M-i 51- H0019 Attorney Patented July 10, 1951 APPARATUS FOR USE IN GLAZING EARTHENWARE ARTICLES Geoffrey Wallace Bird, Water Stratford, England,

assignor to Taylor Stoker Company Limited, Euston, London, England, a British company Application January 21, 1948, Serial No. 3,588 In Great Britain January 23, 1947 6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in glazing earthenware and china articles.

Earthenware and china articles which are to be glazed are first dipped into a glaze bath, are then agitated to remove surplus glaze and, after drying, are finally fired in a furnace.

In accordance with present practice the dipping operation and subsequent agitation to remove surplus glaze are efiected by hand. A skilled dipper receives the articles from the biscuit ovens and immerses them successively in the glaze (usually lead). Subsequently to the removal of each article from the glaze bath, the dipper imparts a twisting motion to the article, the direction of which he suddenly reverses, and thereby all the surplus glaze is removed. If the articles are of more than a given diameter the dipper has to employ a wire extension on his thumb. I

The present invention has for its object the provision of mechanical means for glazing earthenware and china articles whereby manual labour is largely eliminated, and according to the invention the apparatus comprises an endless conveyor and carrier, holder or like means arranged at intervals along said conveyorfor supporting the article to be glazed and carrying said article through a glaze bath while being carried along by said conveyor.

In accordance with further features of the invention means are provided for feeding the articles to be glazed individually to said carriers or holders, prior to the articles being passed through the glaze bath, and for releasing or removing themfrom said carriers or holders after they have been passed through the glaze bath, means also being provided for agitating the articles, in orderto remove surplus glazeafter they have been passed through the glaze bath and before being released or removed from the carriers or holders.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one particular embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a general view of the apparatus according to the invention in side elevation,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale showing one of the carriers or holders and a part of the means for feeding articles to be glazed to said carrier or holder,

' Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating the man'- ner in which the articles to be glazed are-transferred from the feeding means to said carriers or holders,

Figures 5 and 6 are a side elevation and section respectively of a cam rail for actuating the carriers or holders, v 1 Figure '7 is a detailed plan View showing the means for spinning oragitating the carriers or holders, and r Figure 8 is'a part sectional view on the line 11-11 of Figure 2 showing the driving means for the conveyors.

In the particular embodiment illustrated the apparatus is designed especially for glazing plates and comprises an endless cable conveyor ID of the kind known under the registered trade-mark Teleflex having mounted, at intervals along it, a number of carriers or holders II adapted to hold the articles I2 (in the example shown, plates). At the point A along said conveyor I0 the carriers I I pick up the plates, and at the point C release them and, at the point B between said pick-up and'release points A and C, said carriers "II pass the articles through a bath I3 of the glaze liquid. After the articles have thus been passed through the glaze bath I3 and. released from the carriers II said carriers are returned by the conveyor to the pick-up point Aand during the return run are passed through a cleansing 'bath I4 whereby any surplus glaze adhering conveyor is in general horizontal, but makes a downward dip at point B intermediate the end pulleys I5 and I6 where it passes over the glaze and cleansing baths I3 and I4 respectively. During this'downward dip of the conveyor on its forward run the plates I2 are successively completely immersed in the bath I3 of the glaze liquid, and during the downward dip on the return run of the conveyor the carriers I I are passed through the bath I4, containing cleansing liquid, whereby any surplus glaze adhering thereto is washed off so that "said carriers are cleansed prior to picking up and conveying further plates through the glaze bath I3 on the next forward run of the conveyor.

Each carrier I I (see Figures 3 and 4) comprises a central rod I! which extends downwardly from the conveyor H3 at right angles thereto. At its lower end said rod carries a head 18 and three gripping arms [9, which operate in the manner of a grapple, which constitute jaws for gripping the plates [2, having their upper ends pivotally mounted at 20 on the said head I8. These gripping arms. are pivotally connected, about mid"- way of their length, to the lower ends of respective connecting links 2| whose upper ends are pivotally connected to radial arms 22 mounted on a sleeve 23 which is slidably mountedon the central rod H, but keyed, by means of a key 23a, so as to prevent its rotation; thereon. It will thus be seen that a downward movement of said sleeve 23 will effect a closing movement (Figure 3) of.

the gripping arms 19, and that upward movement of said sleeve will effect opening movement (Figure 4) of said gripping arms. Said sleeve may be biased downwardly, by means of a. coil spring 24 on the central'rod [1, to a limiting position at which the outer ends. of thegripping arms I9 are closer together than the diameter of a plate. In addition to or instead ofthe coil spring 24 coil springs 25 may be provided between the gripping arms l9, as shown in Figures 3 and l.

Rigidly mounted on the slid able sleeve 23 is a disc or cammember 26 which, just as the carrier is finished its rearward run (see Figure 2 en gages the downwardly curved ends 21a of a pair of fixed rails 21 which run in a semi-circular path and between which the sleeve 23 passes. Said rails thus, by'cam action, force said cam part 26 and therefore said sleeve 23' upwardly along the central rod I! to a position such that the ends of said grippingarms are wider apart than the diameter of'a plate l2-- (Figure 4). When said cam member 26 clears the downwardly curved end 21b of said cam rails 21-1. e. shortly after the carrier has started its forward run, the

gripping arms again close towards one another under the action of the springs 25 (and/or 24) but, in the meantime, a plate 12 has, as will hereinafter be described, been introduced into position between the ends of said gripping arms, and

the latter will therefore close on the periphery of said plate [2 and hold the-same at three or more points around that periphery.

The plates l2 are held at a constant distance from the conveyor l0, despite variations in the size of plates, by virtue of the fact that a series of serrations are formed on the inner gripping edge of the set of arms l9, or preferably on the inner edges of rubber shoes 28 fitted to the ends of said arms !9'. In this way each article will be gripped by the serrations as the set of gripping arms 39 closes upon it, without appreciable slip. The series of serrations will therefore extend over a length of the inner edge of each arm W, or rubber shoe 28 fitted thereon sufficient to ensure that the jaws will present the serrations to any article within the range of size to be encountered.

The cam rails zl'may-beof any suitable construction but are preferably constructed as shown in Figures and 6. Referring to these figures each rail is formed from a channel section iron lchaving formed in its flanges spaced slots 21d which form seatings for the trunnions of rollers Zle. Cam rails of this construction reduce friction between the rails and the cam part 26 to a minimum and thus ensure smoth running of the cam part over said rails,

Each carrier ll throughout its forw ard run continues to carry the plate I2 and, when said carrier makes its downward dip at point B, dips said plate into the glaze liquid-which is in the glaze bath l3 located beneath the conveyor l0. As each carrier reaches the end of its forward run (see Figure 2) the cam part engages a further pair of cam rails 29, which are of the same construction, and operate thecarrier. in the same m nner as. camirai s 21 to cause the; pp

arms to open and thereby drop the plate I2 at point C on to any suitable conveyor or like means (not shown) for conveying said plate to drying and -firing; furnaces. Shortly afterwards said cam-part 26 clears said additional rails 29, and the gripping arms l9v again spring to their limitingposition, which they maintain throughout the return run and until the first-named rails 21 are again reached. The cam rails 29 may be movably arranged so that successive carriers l I can be activated to permit successive articles to be discharged: at different points from the conveyor [0.

The rod I! of the carrier assembly II is rotatably mounted (for thepurpose hereinafted described) in a bushing 30, see. Figures 3 and 4, which forms part or a bracke t. 31. bymeans of which the carrier assembly ll is connected with the endless conveyor l0. Mounted on the bracket 31 are two pairs. of grooved rollers 32, 33 which embrace the upper and lower edges respectively of the rigid railirof the conveyor. The bracket 3| carrying the carrier assembly. H is detachably connected with the driving cable '35 of the conveyor'by an auxiliary movable spring loaded. pin or plunger 35 which-engages the driving cable 35; of the conveyor. The said pin or plunger 36 is normally held. in engagement with. the conveyor cablev35qby itsspring (not shown) .but can be moved out of engagement with said cable by ahand operated lever member or the like 35. In this manerthe .bracket3 |.,withthe whole of the carrier assembly I I, can be moved manually along the ,rail 3.4relative to the cable 35 to any desired. position along theconveyor; thus the spacing of the carriers .Il relative to each other can be adjusted as. desired.

For the purpose ,of removing surplus glaze from the plates asv they are carried, out of the glaze. bath by the carrier l I .each .of saidv carriers, just after they leave the, tank l3- of glaze liquid, is rotated-rapidly. so that the platev is thus spun about its axis and the surplusglaze is flung off by centrifugal force.

'To this end a pinion 31, or a toothed annulus,

:is formed or. mounted. on the. sleeve 23, which ment showntwo racks}? 8, 3 9. are provided. to cause rotation of the carriers II- in reverse directions, it has been .found that in some cases the spinning of the carriers in one direction only is suificient toremovethe surplus glaze from the plates, thus in. such cases it is necessary to provide only one rack. On the other hand-itmay be desirable "in certain circumstances to provide; more than two ,racks so; that the direction of spin is reversed more than. once, 7

This spinning of theplate iseffected shortly after it leaves the lazeliquid and while it is still moving at, an angle upwardly from the dip,

obstructs the forwardly thrown glaze.

'The glaze liquid which is thrown rearwardly will be thrown into the main body of liquid in the glaze bath and that which is thrown sideways will be caught by the walls of the glaze bath and will run back into the main body of liquid. That which is thrown, forwardly however along the path of travel would in the ordinary course impinge on the preceding plate and its carrier.

To prevent this a rotary baflle member M is provided. The baffle member moves forwardly in front of each plate whilst it is being spun, and In the embodiment shown the baffle member is provided with three baffle plates and is arranged to rotate somewhat in the manner of paddle wheels about a horizontal transverse axis 42 beneath the path of the plates in such a manner that each bafile plate, during part of its circle of movement, is adapted to move in front of a spinning plate I2. The baflie member is arranged to move synchronously with the movement of the conveyor I so that successive baffles move in front of successive plates. To this end the baflie member M is driven direct from the conveyor I0. Adjacent to and running parallel with the conveyor I0 is an endless belt 43 running on two pulleys 44, 45 mounted in suitable bearings in the main framework of the v apparatus. Projecting outwardly from the belt 43 are three lugs, pins or other projections 46. The distance separating these lugs,

pins or the like corresponds to the distance between the carriers or holders I I on the conveyor I 0 and they are arranged to project into the path of travel of a part of the carrier or holder assemblies, so that as each carrier or holder II is moved past the belt 43 it engages one of said pins or projections and carries it along with it thus driving the belt on the pulleys 44, 45. The pulley 45 is rigidly mounted on one end of a vertical shaft 47 which, at its opposite end is coupled to the horizontal shaft 42 on which the baffle member is mounted by means of bevel gearing 48. Thus it will be seen that the baffle member 4| is driven synchronously with the movement of the conveyor so that successive baflle plates move in front of successive carriers II as said carriers, carrying the glazed plate I2, are spun as they move out of the glaze tank I3.

The dipping tank I3 is divided longitudinally by a partition wall 52, the arrangement being such that one side of the tank constitutes the glaze bath I3 situated immediately below the forward run of the conveyor I0 so that the carriers II, when carrying the articles to be glazed, are dipped down into said glaze bath, and the other side of the tank constitutes the cleansing bath I4 and is situated immediately below the return run of the conveyor so that the carriers I I, after having deposited the articles at point C on, for example, a delivery conveyor (not shown), are dipped down into the cleansing bath I4 on their return run. If desired a suitably arranged rack (similar to 38, 39) may be provided with which the pinion 31 on the carrier members II engage as said carriers pass through said cleansing bath I4 whereby said carrier members are spun or rotated while dipped in the cleansing liquid.

The cleansing bath is preferably provided with a suitably located inlet and outlet so that the cleansing liquid can be continuously withdrawn and returned to the cleansing bath and in the process the entrained glaze will be separated out and returned to the glaze bath. This will materially reduce the consumption of the glaze.

The glaze bath I3 is provided with an inlet 49 outlet side of said dam.

For introducing each plate into position to be gripped by the gripping arms of the carriers II as above described, a horizontal endless feed conveyor 53 is provided which on its forward run.

conveys a succession of the plates at spaced intervals in a horizontal line underneath and parallel to the horizontal line of movement of the gripping jaws at point A, that is at the beginning of the forward run of the carriers. The movement of the conveyors I0 and 53 are synchronised so that each successive plate on the feed conveyor 53 moves immediately underneath, and at the same speed as, each carrier II during the period that the set of gripping jaws are wide open as heretofore described and, when said gripping jaws are permitted to close, their ends close on the plate beneath as heretofore described. Just after the point when each plate is gripped by the gripping jaws the feed conveyor 53 turns in a horizontal direction to make its return run. The conveyor 53 is of the same kind as the conveyor IE3 and runs in a general horizontal plane on two pulleys 54, 55; the pulley 54 being suitably mounted in the main frame work of the apparatus and the pulley 55 being mounted in suitable bearing in a frame support 55. Mounted along the conveyor 53 at intervals, corresponding to the intervals between the carrier to said support or stand and to prevent said plates or other articles from slipping on the supporting surface. The supports or stands 51 may be made adjustable in size, i. e. diameter, by providing removable rings 51a, 51b, adapted to be fitted around the outer periphery of said stands or supports as shown in Figure 3.

The supports or stands 5'! are each mounted on a central rod 58 vertically slidable in a boss or the like 59 bolted to a bracket 60 by means of which said supports or stands 5'! are connected with the conveyor 53. At the lower end of the rod 53 is provided a domed head BI and between.

this domed head and the boss 59 is arranged a coil spring 62 which tends to urge the stand or support into its lowermost position as shown in chain dotted lines in Figure 4. The stands or supports 51 are mounted on the conveyor 53 in the same manner as the carriers I I are mounted on'conveyor I0, that is the conveyor rail 63 is embraced by two pairs of grooved rollers 64, 55 mounted on bracket 69 and the stand assembly is operatively connected with the conveyor cable 66 by a spring loaded pin or plunger 6'! operated by a hand lever or the like 68. Thus the stands or supports can be moved along the conveyor rail 63, relative to the conveyor cable 66, to vary their spacing in relation to each other in the 7 same way that the spacing-of the carr iers I l oam he adjusted along the-conveyor '10.

Rigidlymounted 'on a stationary art of the conveyor-'53 at position A, i. e. immediately be- 'low the position -where thegrippingarms of the carriers-pick upthe plates or-other articles, is mountedapam rail 69 over which the domed head 6| on the rod 58-, carrying the stander support ="E'rl, slides and thereby causes the said standor supporttobe'raised into positionto bring the plate l'-2 into position-between the gripping arms of "the 'carrier H (see Figure 4). Soon after the plate I l 2 has been raised into this position -the gripping arms of the carrier H close around the periphery "of the platelZ, as above described, after which the support orstand 51 is lowered away from the'plate as the vertically slidable rod-'58 supporting-it moves outof engagement with'the cam rail 69.

In-operation'plates I2=or other articles to be 'g'lazedare placed on each of the stands 51 by hand as they move, during their forward run, towards the point A of the apparatus. At this point the plates are raised by the supports or "standsiland are-pickedoff saidstands, as above described, by the carriers H which then conveythem through'the glaze :bath 13 at point B and then agitatethemby'spinning, as above de- -=acribed,"to=removethe surplus glaze and finally deposit them onto a 'delivery conveyor at point C, whereupon said carriers return, passing through-the-cleansing bath l4 to repeat the operation.

When'at the-endof the forward run each carrier ll deposits-itsplate-H, the latter drops only a-very small-distance-on to any suitable'delivery conveyor that shown) by which it is conveyed throughthe-'dryingaoven where theglaze is dried prior to inspection and firing. Like the 'feed conveyor, this delivery conveyor moves just underneath the gripping jaws of the carriersat the end'of their forward run-and thus, when each set of gripping jaws is opened, as above described, the plate is depositedgently on to the delivery conveyor beneath. The plates may be deposited 'on stands on said delivery-conveyor, which are designed so as'to affect the glaze, still in-a wet state, as little as possible-and said delivery conveyor may be arranged'to run parallel with the carrier conveyor ID in the same manner as the 'feedconveyor 53, or may bearranged to :run-at right angles thereto soas to convey the glazed plates sideways out of "the :apparatus.

As willbe understood .the carrier conveyor 'and the feedconveyor '5.3;must be driven .in synchronism and atthe' samespeed; the two conveyors are thus preferably driven by the same motor through acommon driving shaft. One particulararrangement for driving the .two conveyors is-illustratedin Figure 8 in which an electric, orother suitable motor 10 is coupled, by means of a belt-drive H, through any suitable reduction gearing .12, with a vertical driving shaft '13. The shaft l3lis coupled .to the pulley l5 of the carrierconveyor byapinion M, which meshes with the toothed periphery of said pulley I5, and said shaft '13 is coupled with the pulley 54 of the feed conveyor by means of a-pinion which meshes with the toothed periphery of saidpulley '54. The two pulleys are rotatably mounted on suitable bearing members Hand 11.

It will be understood that'the invention'is not limited to the details of 'construction described with reference to the accompanying drawing, for instanceit'will be obviousthatthe invention 8 can ibe adapted for glazing -other-earthenware articles-than plates, furthermore the main conveyor could be arranged 'tomake =-a plurality of 4 dips during its forward run, and dip the articles successively-into-apluralityof glazebaths.

I claim:

-l. A-glazing-machine for'gla'zing earthenware and similar articles comprising in combination an endless conveyor arranged in'a genera-llyjhori- =zontalplaneandincluding at least one downward dip, a-dippingtank for asupplvofa glaze bath positioned below said 'downward' dip of the conveyor adjacent thereto, article carriers "rotatably supported "on said conveyor at spaced intervals to'travel-together with the'conveyor, each of, said carriers comprising downwardly extending gripping arms, a vertically downwardly extending rod;pivot meanspivotally linking the upper ends of said'arms'to the rod, the lower portionsofsaid gripping arms forming jaws adapted to grip an article to be glazed in the manner of a grapple, spring means'secured' to the lower portions of the arms for biasing the same into argripping position, ,cam rider .means axially slidable on said rod, and'links .pivotally. connectingsaid cam rider meansiw'fith eachlof said gripping arms so as'to control the relative position-0f said-gripping arms by varying the .vertical position of thecam rider means on the rod for-moving the gripping arms intoa spread anda closedeposition respectively, first carrier actuating means including cam .members mounted stationarily relative to theconveyor and positioned-to engage said cam .ridenmeansso as tolift-thersame relative to the respective rod for a predetermined distance :of travel of a'carrier, thereby spreading; said gripping arms for the said predetermined distance, saidactuating means being positioned anterior to .saiddownward dip as seen in the direction .of travel of said conveyor, .feeding smeans :for feedingarticles to be glazed individually .to each of said carriers when and whilethe gripping; arms of a respective -carrier are spread, ,said feeding .means being arranged Iin ;a generally horizontal plane, meanscfor agitating. saidicarriers to re- :mov-e surface glaze from the articles. carried thereby, when the articles .:have been carried through the glaze "bath, said agitating means comprising :driven. meansv mounted on each cam rider *means. and driving means stationarily .mounted, alongside Ethe conveyor, the said driven and [driving means being positioned in-a-relative ,rpositionuin which they engage each other for :a :predetermined distanceof travel of the conveyonsoastoimpart-a rotary motion to the lcarrierior :the said predetermined distance of travel, .and second-carrier actuating means including cam members mounted stationarily srelativjextoztha conveyor and positioned to engage said cam rider means:soas to lift-the same rela- :tive to "the respective rod 'for a predetermined distance of travel=of a carrier, therebyspreading ssaidxcarrier 'arms.3'for releasing 'gripped articles from'the carriers, saidseeondactuating means being :positionedzposterior' to saiddownward dip and, said;agitating;means as seen in the direction .of :travel 10f theiconveyor.

2.:A-:machme:as described in claim 11 wherein said driven means "comprise :pinion teeth secured :tothe :cam rider means of each carrier, and wherein :theestationar driving means comprise rack means-engageabl'e with said pinion teeth as the respective carrier passes the rack "means, thereby causing notation 'of the said "carrier.

3. A machine as described in claim 2, wherein said rack means comprise a pair of rack elements disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor staggered in the direction of travel of said carriers, said rack elements being successively engageable with the pinion teeth of a passing carrier, thereby rotating the respective carrier successively in opposite direction.

4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means comprise an endless feed conveyor disposed for travel in a generally horizontal plane beneath and parallel to the carrier conveyor, and a plurality of article support means supported on the feed conveyor for travel together therewith and disposed at intervals corresponding to the intervals of said carriers, the movement of said carrier conveyor and said feed conveyor being synchronized so as to move successive support means into a pick-up position in which the gripping arms of a carrier are spread and in which an article placed upon a support means is within reach of the said separate gripping arms.

5. A machine as described in claim 4, in combination with drive means for the carrier conveyor and for the feed conveyor, said drive means being arranged to maintain a predetermined relative travel speed between said conveyors so that successive support means reach the pick-up position when a carrier is in the position in which i the gripping arms of the said carrier are spread for gripping an article placed upon the respective support means.

6. A machine as described in claim 5, wherein said support means comprise a vertically slidable member and a support element mounted on said member for vertical displacement together therewith, and wherein a cam rail is mounted stationarily relative to the feed conveyor and engageably with said slidable member in a position for raising the support element while and when the said slidable member passes the cam rail, the said cam'rail being positioned relative to the feed conveyor so as to become engaged with a slidable member when the respective support means reaches the aforesaid pick-up position.

GEOFFREY WALLACE BIRD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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